by
Lia
beautiful maiden stared in the door. She scanned the hall, searching for somone. She did not see him. Instead, she silently joined the dining, speaking to no one. She did not eat as heartily as the boistrous knights and lords, or even the ladies who picked daintly at their food.That did not come to anyone's great surprise, for she was obviously a traveler. She did not wear the pink and violet gowns of a court lady, with her hair in a tight bun, and jewelry hanging all over. She instead wore leather leggings, with a dark green shirt. Her dark brown hair hung loose, and though most traveller's hair became stringy and raggy, hers was silky and well trimmed. She carried a sword by her side, and an emerald green shield on her back. The shield bore no devide except a diamond shape that had no color, but it glimmered and shone strange colors with every turn of the light, giving it the effect of an opal.
The knights laughed and called challenges to her, but she remained silent. The ladies clucked dissapprovingly at her attire. For some reason, everyone at the table was talking about the stranger.
She never spoke a word, though her eyes burned with a hotter fire at each cruel remark. Finally she stood.
"I'll challenge to the best fighter here to a duel." she said loudly.
A strong knight stood. "I, Sir Danthel of Greenshire have proven myself to be the best here. But what will I win?" he asked.
The fair maid smiled what may have been in recognition, and replied, "You can choose your terms, if I can choose mine."
"Agreed. If I win..." the knight paused in thought. Suddenly, his face broke into a mean grin. "If I win, I get you."
The maiden smiled unconcerned. "And I ask for the horse of my choice and a private room for the night." she said.
"Swords will be the weapon, agreed?" Sir Robert said.
"Agreed." the maiden replied, drawing her sword.
The put themselves in a fighting stance. They clashed their swords together on the signal, and the fight began! The maid quickly disarmed the knight, and left the blade pointed at his throat. Sir Danthel gave in quickly, and the host suggested the maid tell a tale from her land, to prevent Danthel from argueing. The maiden nodded her agreement.
"A fine idea. Now, where shall I begin?" she asked.
"At the beginning of course!" several voices called out.
"Nay, not the beginning, for that would be a long story. This story begins just 20 years ago, when I was a younger lass than I am today. No, I am not an old hag hiding behind a damsel's pretty face, but I am only twenty at all. This story starts the day I was born."
Twenty years ago, a King and Queen had a child. They named their daughter Princess Atreia Greenstone Truth, for her eyes were a dark green unlike most children's blue ones. She had dark brown hair, and while most infants who cry as they draw their first breath, she laughed as she did.
On her first birthday she was crowned Princess of the land Truevale. She had no brothers or sisters, and so therefore she was heir to the Truevale throne.
But, Atreia's jelous older cousin, Sir Aeios, was angry. If it were not for her, he would become King of Truevale when his uncle, King Trust, son of Trustin passed away. So he gathered his allies together, and captured the infant Princess. They hid her among others in an orphanage, giving her the shortened street name "Trei". That Princess was me. Yes, I am Princess Atreia Greenstone Truth daughter of Queen Lina and King Trust. But I grew up bearing the street name Trei.
I had grown up with one friend: Matthew Scarleteye. He was taller and stronger, and had lighter hair and darker eyes, but his looks had no meaning. He was actually shy, and even timid to an extent. I on the other hand looked much as I do today. Long dark brown hair that hung loose, and dark green eyes. And of course I was very thin for the orphanage did not have good funding. But, none the less, I was, and still am, a skilled fighter. Matt always said that I seemed to burn with an inner fire.
We were always getting into trouble, somtimes for sneaking down to the kitchens to find the leftover dinner, somtimes Matt got in trouble for teaching me to play ball, or ride a horse. Somtimes I got in trouble for sneaking into boy's dormitory to talk at night with him. Somtimes we both got in trouble for stopping in between our lessons to talk and being late for class. In short: We were best friends.
But then, one day in early August of Matt and my twelveth year, Matt was adopted by a rich nobleman, named Calvis McDray. I was happy for him. But I was lonely too. I really missed Matt. I never did make friends with anyone else. I sighed.
It was November 12, that same year, and I was bored. No Matt to talk to, no Matt to play ball with, no Matt to do anything with. Like I said, I missed Matt. But then I heard the ringing of a bell. Somone was at the orphanage! A visitor was at the door!
I ran down the stairs, trapped in a mass of children. I wasn't the tallest of course, so there was no way to see. Who could it be? I had to know! But, Mistress Cathrine shooed us away, only saying they were important guests and we were to put on our best clothes.
I ran up, eager to be back down and be first to see the guests, though most lingered, trying to see them now. In my room, I put in a pink dress that only had three patches on it, and I pulled my silver and opal necklace. The only reason I had such a valuable possesion was that I had been found with it on. I kept it because it was the only clue to my past. I brushed my hair, and ran down the stairs.
I was late though, because I was the eigth person down. My roomate Kirsten who was a gosipper and a bragger, had been the second. She was dressed in a fancy dress she had bought just last month with the money she earned in Mrs. Peterson's kitchen.
"It's King Trust and Queen Lina themselves!" she exclaimed dramaticly. "They've come to find their lost daughter, and are going to interview all the girls of age twelve here. And we all know I'm their daughter. I was cast away by the kidnappers and thrown into this orphanage to grow up with the life of a simpleton. But now my royal heritage shall be revealed!"
I smiled to myself. King Trust had red hair, and green eyes. Queen Lina had dark brown hair, and brown eyes. Kirsten had blond hair and blue eyes. Plus everyone knew Kirsten was abandoned by her mother and father just three years ago. But I let her go on about how she would make me pay for putting the frog in her bed (It was Matt's idea!), and how she would make me rot in the dungeons.
She was the first to be interviewed. I was given the number twenty three. There were thirty-nine kids in the orphanage.
In fairy tales, the Princess would be the last girl to be chosen. But still... Of course not! Me? A princess? My parents were probally just street bums. Or maybe my mother was just a young girl and my father was her older boyfriend. Or maybe even...
"Number Twenty-Three, Trei." A voice called interupting my thoughts.
I hurried in. There they sat, regal, and noble. The royal monarchs. King Trust, and Queen Lina. I curtsied.
"You always said she would have a knack for curtsies, ever since she took her first steps." The Queen murmered to her husband.
"Yes, but only two days later, she vanished. Aeiol will rot forever if we do not find her!" The King murmered in reply.
"Please state your name." The Queen told me.
"Trei." I replied.
"Who were your parents?" King Trust asked.
"I... I don't know, Your Highnesses." I replied.
"When did you arive at the Orphanage, and how?" Queen Lina asked.
"I don't remember it at all, I was only an infant-baby when I was found, and there was a note with only one word sprawled on it: Trei. I was in a basket, and the Orphanage picked me up." I said, squinting to recall the details.
"Trei, my dear... What did you..." Queen Lina began, but King Trust interupted excitedly.
"Trei, where did you get that necklace?" he asked.
"Oh, this? I don't really know... I was found with it on. I kept it because it was the only clue to my past." I replied.
Why would the King of all Truevale be interested in such a trifle?
"That is the same necklace given to our daughter the day she was crowned Princess!" Queen Lina declaired.
"I didn't steal it, honest!" I exclaimed.
"She has the same shade of dark locks as you, Lina." King Trust said.
"And your eyes, but she always had those." Queen Lina replied.
"Look at her, she looks like you, with my face." King Trust said.
"I'm not the Princess!" I said, hoping that I wasn't. I don't know why, but I felt I wasn't the Princess. Other girls deserved to be Princesses.
"The opal on your necklace has a dent on the back from when I acciedently dropped it out a tower window." The King told me.
I cautiously turned it over, but I knew what I would see. The familliar dent.
"Yes, it is there." I said slowy.
"Come now, Princess Trei... Atreia... Just look at your name take off the A's and you have Trei." King Trust told me soothingly.
"We must get you a more fitting dress, one that is a gown and not torn fabric sown together." Queen... er Mother told me. I nodded.
"Yes, we must." I said dazed.
Only months later, I was used to being Princess. I was a proper Lady, but I hadn't forgotten the days at the Orphanage with Matt. Matt was now a dream figure, somone I was not even sure existed. Perhaps he had only been an imaginary person my mind had invented to keep me company. Or maybe he was now a rich count, or a top-notch soldier, or maybe he had never lived. But in my heart I always believed he was out there.
I saw the court, all the Nobles in my father's land, but Matt was not among them. Nor was he one of the Soldiers in the Green Patrol Army. Had his adopted father sold him as a Slave? Or maybe he had come down on money and was now a farmer. Every possibilty, good, bad and in between came to me. But I never could be sure.
There were so many Matthews, and no way to tell which was the Matthew I knew. We were at war with the nearby kingdom of Culon, so I didn't have much time. I had been trained to fight skillfully and honorably, but I was not allowed to join the army. No, this was not because I was a women, but because I was royalty. I became very skilled with a sword, and just as well with a bow and arrow, and I did okay with a staff and dagger as well.
One night in early summer of my fourth year as Princess, I woke to find myself tied up. There was no men tying me up. There were young boys! I kicked them hard, but they outnumbered me.
"Who are you?" I snapped.
"A handpicked group of Cull Boys, the Cull Warriors in training, picked by King Cullin assigned to kidnap Princess Atreia." one spoke up.
"Shut up, Nelvin." a sharp voice snapped.
"Come on, let's go." a third voice said.
Eight boys picked me up, and hoisted me out the window. I was easily caught by two burly boys. I wrenched free of their grip, and struggled to get away but it was useless. One pulled me up roughly, and flung me on his shoulder, tightening the ropes that had came loose. I had finally regained my senses enough to scream, but the boy with the sharp voice taped my mouth. He smirked.
"Having a nice time, milady?" he mocked. The other Cull Boys laughed automaticly.
"Mmm mmm mmm!" I yelled angrily.
"Sorry, what was that?" Sharp voice asked. I
tried to kick myself out of their grip.
"Oh!" Sharp voice gasped in mock fear. "I forgot to introduce myself. Prince Danthel Mancal, at your service. Or not.".
There was another burst of strained laughter. "
Nelvin Ferson, here." Nelvin piped up.
"George Harrin." one of the burly boys added. "Nicton Jondin"
"Karth Jans"
"Dis Gui"
"Lyon Drake."
"Griff Anden" "Woht Nirr"
"Matthew McDray"
The last one. Matthew. Matt. He had been adopted by Calvis McDray. That would mean he changed his name to Matt McDray. Full name: Matthew McDray. It couldn't be. Why would Matt kidnap me? Unless... If Matt had lived in Culon, he wouldn't have heard that Princess Atreia had been found in Truevale's Orphanage. That her name had origanally been Trei. Maybe if he knew...
I worked the tape free, and no one stopped me. I was too far to scream. It finally slipped free. But what would I say?
"Let me go!" I yelled.
"Ohhh, a fiesty one, eh?" Danthel teased.
"I said, let me go!" I said, giving a big kick.
"Ow! Hey! You better watch it, Princess, or else you'll get what's coming to you." Danthel threatened.
"Just you try it." I countered.
Danthel looked impressed. "Didn't know Princesses were so... so..." he commented to the boy named Griff.
"Aw, didn't ya hear, this 'un was picked up from the kingdom's orphanage. 'Twas all over the news in Truevale." Woht said.
"You forget: Your the only one who's been in Truevale since Matt." Griff replied.
"Well, didn't know a girl who lived in an orphanage could grow up to be so pretty." Danthel said, touching my cheek.
I jerked my head away, and saw Matt's shocked face. He seemed to be figuring it out.
The Cull Boys reached a group of horses teathered to an oak tree. They lifted me onto the finest, a black mare, and Danthel hopped on behind me. I tried to twist my way off the horse, but it was no use. I was stuck sitting sidesaddle in Danthel's tight grip.
As we rode, the tiredness began to weigh me down. I hadn't gotten much sleep, and the Cull Boy's tripping along and rude remarks had been the only thing keeping me awake. Now it was the smooth canter of a horse, and complete silence. I couldn't help it... I was drifting into a dreamland so fast...
When I woke, I was sitting on the ground in some sort of room. It wasn't a dungeon, but I wasn't surprised. I had heard rumour that King Culin wanted to unite the kingdoms Truevale and Culon by marrying his son off to me. When my father had disagreed, Culon had declared war. I had never believed this theory, but it had somhow found it's way into my mind just then.
I looked around the room. It had no windows, and a barred door. There was furniture in the room, a huge bed, a writing desk, two chairs, and a wardrobe. I looked around, and found various cakes and sweets on the desk, along with water and wine. I ignored it, wondering if it was poisoned. The door swung open. Danthel walked in.
"It's true, you know." he said strangely. "The rumour about my father wanting us to get married." he said, as if answering my thoughts.
"How did you...?" I trailed off. He laughed.
I didn't like his laugh. It was colder than icey stone.
"You were talking in your sleep!" he laughed.
I tossed my head, throwing my long, dark hair back.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"I wanted to let you know the rumour is true. What do you think?"
"I think you know my answer. I'm going to go through with it." I replied angrily.
He shrugged. "The food's okay, if your hungry." he told me, picking up a pastrie and munching it. He walked out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "And you are going to marry me. Your not in Truevale anymore, Princess."
I ran to the door, hoping to stop it from closing before he locked it. I was too late. I was able to hear Danthel say,
"Matt, keep a close eye on the door, and don't unlock it for any reason. None of the other Cull Boys were up to it after that long ride last night."
"No problem," Matt replied.
Danthel's footsteps walked away.
"Princess, Princess? I heard you went to the orphanage. I went there too. Who are you... Kirsten? Alexandria? Sala?" he asked.
"Matt!? How could you confuse me with those girls! I can not believe you!" I whispered angrily. He didn't know who I was!? "Well, I can't be expected to remember anyone. Let's see, who else was there? Hope, Anna, Margarete, Dayonna, Lynn, that's all I can remember. Except Trei, but you couldn't be her. She wasn't like you at all." Matt said.
"Now she is." I replied
"Oh no. Trei... Atreia... Oh no! How could I have not noticed! I can't let you go, Trei. I want to but I can't." he moaned.
"I wasn't going to ask you to open the door now. Not on your gaurd duty. You'd get in trouble. Just... Just cover for me. I've got a plan." I whispered my plan to him, and he grinned through the bars.
"Your definetly Trei, because you still think of everything." he laughed quietly.
Later that evening, I had eaten all the cakes and drunk all the water--- I didn't perfer wine. Danthel walked in.
"Have you changed your mind?" he asked.
I hated saying it. "Yes. I... It's best for Truevale if Culon and Truevale unite. No more war between us."
I said it. My mouth seemed to burn as I said it.
"Then it should not be held back. Tommorow morning, we shall be wed. I will send in your ladies in waiting, to help you, and tailors to measure you for gowns, and..." he told me all the things he would get me, while I wondered what I was getting myself into.
The next morning, I was in a wedding gown, riding a white horse down an aisle. No! My mind was screaming. Please no! A tear trickled down my cheek. No! I couldn't cry! I was from the Royal House of Truth. I had to do this for my country. Matt had done what he had said he would do. He had suggested it would be more fashionable, more romantic, more beautiful for me to ride down an aisle. It was he who had arranged the horse in a way that would make it easy to escape.
He nodded towards me. The gaurds had relaxed. I kicked the horse and raced to the exit of the church. The gaurds who were not Cull Boys but Cull Warriors, fumbled with their spears, and realizing a spear would be of no use them this close, grabbed their swords. I grabbed my own sword. The sword Matt had given me. I didn't kill the gaurds, but I easily knocked their swords away, and raced off, a group of horses following me.
I had very sharp eyes, so I was able to see the moment they turned to go east instead of south, the way I was going.
"Thank you, Matt." I whispered. I galloped home.
When I got back, the days wore on, I was heavily gaurded. But, after a while, Truevale conquered the war. The royal family was sent away, and I got bored with being a Princess. I never really liked being a Princess anyways. It got boring. So I went looking for Matt. I had many adventures in my search, made many friends. But I never did find Matt.
"I'm still looking for him. But I've found him in this hall tonight." the Princess finished her tale. She walked to a man the same age as she, and laughed. "You know, scarlet never was your color. You look better in forest green." she said with a grin.
"I knew you'd guess." he replied, giving her a huge hug. Suddenly, he gets down on one knee.
"Will you marry me?" he asked.
Atreia looked startled. "I... Of course!"
The knight who challenged Atreia walked angrily up to her.
"Atreia. And Matt. I can't believe this. Matt, you were a traitor!" he yelled.
"Danthel." Atreia said simply.
"Yes. Forced to become a page, and blazing through knighthood. You could have been my Queen." Danthel snaps.
Atreia draws her sword. "Danthel, don't push me. You saw I'm good with a sword." she said.
Danthel only sneered at her, but fear could be seen on his face. He didn't want to bettle this girl. He sulked off. Atreia smiled at Matt.
"Do we have to stay here?"
"Come on. You've been looking in all the wrong places, I live in a manor just outside of Truevale, in Greenshire, formerly Culon. Come on. Let's go." Matt replied.
And they did, and lived happily ever after. Or would of except that Danthel had a son, and Matt and Atreia had a daughter. Yes, the story contiues, but, alas, it is not within me to tell the tale at this moment.
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